Slip-and-fall injuries are the most common types of personal injuries people experience, and they can occur anywhere, from the workplace to a public shopping mall. These injuries may seem relatively inconsequential, but the truth is that sometimes they provoke quite serious injuries that require extensive medical attention.
Property owners are responsible for providing safe premises for people on their property. That means if you are shopping at a store and there is a condition that causes you to suffer an injury, the property owner may be liable as the cause of your injury. There are several common hazards you should watch out for when going about your errands and business on public property; here are three of the top ones.
1. Slippery surfaces in stores
It may seem obvious, but slippery surfaces cause a vast majority of slip-and-fall injuries. These surfaces can come about as the result of spilled substances, such as a carton of cracked eggs that spills on a grocery store floor, as well as adverse weather conditions, such as an icy parking lot in winter. The grocery store owner is responsible for ensuring someone cleans up spills to prevent falls, as well as making sure someone removes ice from the parking lot.
2. Clutter and equipment hazards
Another source of slips and falls is when an environment is overly cluttered or when objects are placed in a way that makes them hazardous and prone to cause people to injure themselves. You may not notice an object in your way, especially one that is not supposed to be there. Liability can be a factor in cases like this.
3. Environmental hazards
Problems with the property environment itself, such as holes or improperly maintained buildings or surfaces, can cause falls as well. It is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain his or her property in a way that makes it safe for the public. If a large pothole causes you to trip and hurt yourself, that could make the property owner liable for your injury.
You should take the common slip-and-fall injury seriously because it could be more serious than you initially think. It is crucial to get all the information about the circumstances surrounding your fall immediately after it happens, in case you need to file legal action to claim compensation for your injuries.